Furniture top construction



Nov. 18, 1941. J, R. CLARK 2,263,204 v FURNITURE TOP CONSTRUCTION Filed July 1, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Janna R. CLARK 9 ATTORNEY.

Nov. 18, 1941.- J. R. CLARK FURNITURE TOP CONSTRUCTION Filed July 1, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 1 'ENTOR. JAMEs R. CLARK & ATTORNEY.

Nov. 18, 1941. J LA K 2,263,204

FURNITURE TOP CONS TRUGTION Filed July 1, 1939 INVENTOR. {guns 2?. CLARK BY 42 ATTORNEY.

' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,263,204 FURNITURE TOP CONSTRUCTION James K. Clark, Rochester, N. Y.,assignor to Yawman & Erbe Mfg. 00., Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 1, 1939, Serial No. 282,521

' 13 Claims.

This invention pertains to furniture and more particularly to furniture tops.

The main feature of the invention relates to the construction of a furniture top for desks, tables, stands and the like in which there is provided a foundation with rounded edges to support a flexible covering extending over the top and edges of the foundation, which construction is economical to manufacture, pleasing in de sign and practical in use. 1

Another feature of the invention relates to furniture top unit including a frame to which there is secured a top plate of sheet material having its margins rounded downward to cover the frame, the corners of the plate being cut away to facilitate the curving or bending of its margins.

A further feature of the invention relates to the arrangement of a top unit of the mentioned type in which the means for retaining the margins of the flexible covering or linoleum superimposed on and snugly in contact with the margins of the top plate, comprises a beading strip frictionally engaging a portion of the frame on which the top plate is supported, whereby the heading strip is securely retained" in position without the need of screws or bolts.

to the arrangement on a top unit of a beading strip whereby it not only serves to retain the margins of the flexible covering snugly against the margins of the top plate, but also encloses the corner caps of the unit in such a way that a neat and strong corner construction results.

An additional feature of the invention relates to the construction and mounting means of the corner caps for a top unit of the mentionedtype whereby each cap can be independently adjusted in each of three different directions thereby insuring that the upright edges of the cap snugly engage the margins of the flexible covering at the cutaway portions thereof, even when these portions deviate somewhat from a prescribed pattern.

Another feature of the invention relates to the construction and mounting means of modified corner caps for a top unit whereby each cap can Fig. 2 is a plan view of the desk of Fig. 1 with portions of the top plate and the flexible covering as well as certain of the corner caps and a part of the beading strip broken away;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of the corner construction of the frame showing a portion of one molding strip attached thereto and a portion of another molding strip in spaced relation thereto;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of one corner of the assembled top unit;

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of a corner of theassembled top unit, one of the molding strips being omitted for the sake of clarity;

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the corner cap taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the corner cap;

Fig. 9 is an isometric view of a modified corner bracket of the frame showing a portion of one molding strip attached thereto and a portion of another molding strip in spaced relation thereto;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section illustrating a corner cap in applied position in the corner bracket shown in Fig. 9, this view being taken substantially on the line IB|I] of Fig, 9, the molding strips being omitted;

Figs. 11 and 12 are side and bottom-views respectively of the corner cap shown in Fig. 10;

.Fig. 13 is an isometric View similar to Figures 3 and 9 of another modified corner bracket for use with the top unit of the present invention, the attaching strip and molding strips being omitted from this illustration;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary section taken on line l4--l4 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 isa horizontal section of the modified corner bracket shown in Fig. 13 with the corner cap shown in applied position in the corner bracket;

Fig. 16 is an isometric view looking from below and from the rear of a corner cap adapted to be used with the corner bracket shown in Fig. 13.

Referring to the drawings, 5 generally designates a desk incorporating the top. unit of the present invention. This top unit includes a rectangular frame comprising a pair of side strips 6 and I as well as a pair of end strips 8 and 9 with the ends of the side strips secured to the ends of end strips by corner brackets H] to be de scribed. Each of the strips is made of sheet metal molding generally of curved cross section but formed with a vertical wall H of an offset portion which wall with the curved surface [2 of the strip, affords two surfaces for attachment thereto of lugs provided on each corner bracket. Each of the molding strips has one of its margins formed to provide a horizontal channel or recess I4, the entrance to which is somewhat constricted, as indicated at I5, for a purpose to be described. This frame may be attached to the body of the desk in any convenient manner.

Each of the four corner brackets l l], which are generally pyramidal in form to provide three sides meeting at right angles to each other, is preferably stamped from sheet metal and has its three edges curved to conform to the curvature of the corner and to the curved edges of a top plate to be described. The sides of this bracket are provided with three openings I6, I! and I8 which function in the adjustment of a corner cap to be set forth. The bracket has secured to its upright sides, as by spot welding, an attaching strip [9 generally W-shaped in cross section. This strip is provided with pairs of attaching lugs and 2!, extending at right angles to each other at opposite sides of the bracket, the lugs of a pair being offset vertically to engage respectively the surfaces I l and 12 of the molding strips to which they are attached as by spot welding as indicated at 22. It will be understood, however, that the corner bracket [0 and its attaching strip l9 may be formed from a single piece of sheet material, but the present construction has greater strength.

The frame when thus assembled has superimposed thereon, a top plate 23 preferably made of sheet material such as sheet steel. This plate, in its finished form, generally fits the frame but has cutout portions at its corners so that its margins can be curved to conform to the general curvature of the molding strips of which the frame is made. The curved margins of the top plate are of such depth that they reach to a point above the entrance to the recesses 14 in the several molding strips. The top plate, when assembled on the frame as shown in Fig. 2, is spot welded or otherwise fastened to the several molding strips of the frame.

The top unit also includes a flexible covering 24, such as linoleum, adhesively fastened to the top surface and curved margins of the top plate. This covering is of substantially the same dimensions as that of the top plate 23 and likewise has portions cut away at each of its corners preferably cf the same outline as the cutaway portions of this plate.

The corners of th top unit are finished by means of finishing pieces such as corner caps or gussets 25 which preferably are of slightly larger area than that of the cutaway portions of the flexible covering, so that the two upwardly extending edges of the caps overlie the margins of the covering at these portions. It will be uncler-- stood however, that the caps may be of such size that their upwardly extending edges can be made flush with the edges of the covering at the mentioned portions. Each cap is preferably die cast to have two vertical posts 26 and 21 each integrally connected at one of its ends to the cap proper, the two posts having their adjacent lateral surfaces joined together by a web 28 and the post 21 having its lateral surface joined by a web 29 to the inner surface of the cap, as best shown in Fig. 8. The post 21 has a screw threaded aperture 30 in its free end while the post 26has two spaced threaded apertures 3| extending at right angles to each other through its sides, for fastening the cap to a corner bracket ID. A screw 32 passes through the aperture 16 in the corner bracket and into the threaded aperture 30 into th post 21, to draw the cap downward toward the bracket. Screws 33, however, pass through the openings l1 and H3 in the vertical wings of the bracket and are respectively received in the threaded apertures 3| in the post 26. It will be understood that by adjusting the screws 32 and 33, each corner cap can be adjusted in three directions, namely vertically, as well as laterally in each direction so that the cap can be adjusted. to cover a corner opening in the flexible covering. It will be noted from Figs. 5, 6 and 7, that the lower margin of each cap is provided with a horizontal recess 34 to receive the flange of a fastening or binding strip 35 to be described.

With the top unit thus assembled and with the corner caps secured in their proper adjusted position, it is only necessary to complete the unit by applying a binding strip 35 which serves to prevent the edges of the linoleum covering from curling away from the margins of the top plate and protects the linoleum from damage during use. This binding strip as shown in Fig. 6 has an upwardly and inwardly curved flange 36 to grip the margin of the linoleum covering and is also provided with a horizontal web 31 adapted to be driven into the recess H! in the molding strips where it is frictionally retained by the restricted entrance l5 of the recess. It will be noted that the portions of the binding strip at each of the corners of the top unit has its web cut away as indicated at 38 in Fig. 5, so that the binding strip can be bent without distortion around these corners. This strip may be in a single length, bent to conform to the rectangular outline of the frame, or it may be made of sev eral lengths bent in like manner, but in any case, it is not necessary to have the ends of a binding strip or strips abut the side edges of the corner caps.

Referring to Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive, there is shown a modified corner bracket IE1 and corner cap 25' which may be used in place of the corner brackets I 0 and corner caps 25. The modified corner bracket I0 is substantially the same as the corner bracket H) in that it is generally pyramidal in form having three sides meeting at right angles to each other. This bracket is preferably stamped from sheet metal, and its three edges curve to conform to the curvature of the corner and to the curved edges of the top plate 23. This modified bracket also has secured to its upright sides as by spot welding, the attaching strip H! which may be identical with the attaching strip shown in Fig. 3. It will be understood that the lugs 20 and 2| of the attaching strip may be secured to the molding strips such as I and 9 as by spot welding 22 (Fig. 9).

As in the case of the corner bracket I!) this modified corner bracket I0 is provided with an aperture It in its bottom side to receive the adjusting screw 32. However, instead of having the slots I! and I8, the upright sides of the corner bracket I 0 are formed with struck-out lugs 40 which slop inwardly and downwardly toward the corner of the bracket. The modified corner cap 25 may be either cast or die-cast from any suitable metal such as bronze, or from a plastic or any similar suitable material or if desired it may be formed from sheet bronze or sheet steel or the like. The caps 25 are similar to the corner caps 25 in that they are preferably of slightly larger area than that of the cut away portions of the flexible covering 24 so that the tions.

two upwardly extending edges of the caps will overli the margins of the covering at these por- It will be understood however, that the modified corner caps as well as the previously described corner caps may be of such sizethat their upwardly extending edges can be made flush with the edges of the covering at the mentioned portions and if desired, these edges of the caps may be beveled to abut the correspondingly beveled edges of the linoleum or covering portion 24.-

As shown particularly in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, the two inner side walls of the corner cap 25' are provided with recesses M. The wall 42 of each recess slopes inwardly and downwardly toward the inner lower corner of the cap to cooperate with and frictionally engage the downwardly sloping lugs 40 of the corner bracket Hi. When the screw 32, which extends thru the hole I6 into the threaded aperture 43 of the corner cap is tightened, the lugs 49 and the sloping walls 42 will cooperate with the screw to adjust the cap in three different directions, namely toward each of the wings of the bracket and thereby pull the corner cap into snug engagement with the linoleum or covering 24 on the top.

In Fig. 13 there is shown a still further modifled type of corner bracket III" which may be used in place of either of the previously described corner brackets. It will be understood that this corner bracket also will be provided with an attaching strip l9 so that the molding strips may be fixed thereto. Corner bracket III" is identical with the corner bracket l illustrated in Fig. 9 except that the struck-out lugs are provided with right angle portions 45 which slope downwardly toward the bottom of the related wall, as shown in Fig. 14.

The corner cap 25" used with the corner bracket In", like the previously described corner caps, may be made of cast or die cast bronze, a plastic or similar suitable materials or if desired it may be formed from sheet bronze, sheet steel or the like. The upwardly extending edge por tions of this cap may be fashioned in the same manner as the upwardly extending edge portions of the previously described corner caps. The rear corner of the cap lll' is provided with a recess 46 as shown in Fig. 16, having the downwardly and rearwardly sloping walls 41 which engage the correspondingly sloped right angle portions of the lugs 45. This corner cap may be secured to the bracket It!" by means of a screw 32 extending thru the hole l6 and engaging the threaded aperture 48 formed in the bottom surface of the corner cap. The screw 32 together with the cooperating right angle portions 45 and sloping walls 41 of the corner cap serve to adjust the cap in three different directions, namely toward each of the wings of the bracket and thereby securely clamp the corner cap in snug engagement with the linoleum or covering 24.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a furniture top unit has been provided which is simple in design, attractive in appearance and rugged in construction to withstand the severe usage to which it is put.

What I claim is:

1. In a furniture top unit, a top plate having cutaway corners and having its margins curved into downwardly extending flanges, a flexible covering engaging the upper surface of said top plate as well as the outer surfaces of said flanges, corner caps concealing thecutaway corners of said top plate, and binding means for holding the edges of said covering against said flanges, said binding means enclosing said caps.

2. In a furniture top unit, a frame comprising strips joined at their ends by brackets, each strip having a recess extending along its lower part, a top plate having cutaway corners and having its margins curved into downwardly extending flanges, said top plate fitting over said frame with said flanges extending approximately to said recesses, a flexible covering substantially coextensive with said top plate, said covering engaging the upper surface of said top as well as the outer surfaces of said flanges, binding strip portions frictionally retained in said recesses for holding the edges of said covering against said flanges, and corner caps concealing the cutaway corners of said top plate.

3. In a furniture top unit, a frame comprising strips joined at their ends by brackets, each strip having a recess extending along its lower part, a top plate having cutaway corners and having the margins curved into downwardly extending flanges, said top plate fitting over said frame with said flanges extending approximately to said recesses, a flexible covering substantially coextensive with said top plate, said covering en gaging the upper surface of said top as well as the outer surfaces of said flanges, corner caps concealing the cutaway corners of said plate, and. binding strip portions frictionally retained in said recesses for holding the edges of said covering against said flanges and enclosing said corner caps.

4. In a furniture top unit, a frame comprising strips joined at their ends by brackets, each strip having a recess extending along its lower part, a top plate having cutaway corners and having its margins curved into downwardly extending flanges, said top plate fitting over said frame with said flanges extending approximately to said recesses, a flexible covering substantially coextensive with said top plate, said covering engaging the upper surface of said top plate as well as the outer surfaces of said flanges, corner caps concealing the cutaway corners of said top plate, each of said caps having a groove therein in alinement with the recesses in said strip, and binding strip portions frictionally retained in said recesses for holding the edges of said covering against said flanges, parts of said binding strip portions enclosing said caps and engaging the grooves therein.

5. In a furniture top unit, a frame comprising strips joined at their ends by pyramidal corner brackets, each bracket having three wings, a top plate having cutaway corners and having its margins curved into downwardly extending flanges, said top plate being mounted on said frame with said cutaway portions in registry with said brackets, a flexible covering engaging the upper surface of said top plate as well as the outer surfaces of said flanges, corner caps con cealing said cutaway portions, and means independently adjustable in each of three different directions for securing a corner cap to the wings of a related bracket.

6. In a furniture top unit, a frame comprising strips joined at their ends by corner brackets, each strip having a recess extending along its lower part, a top plate having cutaway corners and having its margins curved into downwardly extending flanges, said top plate fitting over said frame with said flanges extending approximately to said recesses, a flexible covering substantially coextensive with said top plate, said covering engaging the upper surface of said top as well as the outer surfaces of said flanges, binding strip portions having webs friotionally retained in said recesses and having upwardly extending flanges for holding the edges of said covering against said first-mentioned flanges, and corner caps concealing the cutaway corners of said top.

'7. In a furniture top unit, a frame comprising strips joined at their ends by open-sided pyramidal brackets, each bracket having three wings, two of said wings having struck-out lugs thereon inclined to the vertical, a top plate having cutaway portions in registry with said brackets and having its margins curved into downwardly extending flanges, a flexible covering engaging the upper surface of said top plate as well as the outer surfaces of said flanges, corner caps concealing said cutaway portions and the openside of said brackets, each of said corner caps having recesses therein including surfaces engaging the lugs on the wings of a related bracket, and means for maintaining said caps in said brackets.

' sided bracket having three wings in pyramidal relation, a cap overlying the open-side of said bracket, and means independently adjustable in each of three different directions for securing said cap to the wings of said bracket.

9. A bracket and cap construction for use in a furniture top unit comprising a hollow, opensided bracket having three wings in pyramidal relation, two of said wings having struck-out lugs thereon defining surfaces inclined to the vertical, the other wing having an aperture therein, a cap overlying the openside of said bracket, said cap having recesses therein for receiving said lugs, said recesses having surfaces inclined to the vertical in like manner with said first mentioned surfaces to cooperate therewith, and fastening means extending thru said aperture into said cap.

10. A bracket and cap construction for use in a furniture top unit comprising a hollow, opensided bracket having three wings in pyramidal relation, two of said wings having slots therein, the other wing having an aperture therein, a cap overlying the open-side of said bracket, said cap having threaded holes adapted to be alined with said slots and aperture, and means extending thru said slots and aperture and engaging said threaded holes for adjusting said cap relative to said bracket.

11. In a furniture top unit, a generally rectangular top plate having cutaway corners and having its margins curved into downwardly extending flanges, a covering substantially coextensive with said top plate, said covering engaging the upper surface of said top plate as well as the outer surface of said flanges, 'a sheet metal strip on said top plate beneath the exposed surface thereof and along each margin of said plate, each strip having a recess formed therein adjacent the exposed surface of its related flange, binding strip members provided with upwardly extending flanges engaging the outer surface of said covering, each member being provided with a part frictionally engaging the recess in its related strip and serving to force its related flange snugly against the related margin of said covering whereby the edge of said covering is retained against the downwardly extending flange of said top plate, and corner caps concealing the cutaway corners of said top plate.

12. A bracket and cap construction for use in a furniture top unit comprising a hollow, opensided bracket including a base and two upstanding wings, all arranged in generally conical relation, said wings having apertures therein, a cap over-lying the open-side of said bracket and having threaded holes adapted to be alined with said apertures and means extending through said apertures and engaging the threaded holes in said cap for directing said cap into engagement with said bracket.

13. In a furniture top unit, a rectangular top plate having cut-away portions including its corners and having at least two opposing margins curved into downwardly extending flanges, a flexible covering engaging the upper surface of said top plate as well as the outer surfaces of said flanges, finishing pieces concealing the cutaway portions of said top plate, and binding means for holding the edges of said covering against said flanges, said binding means enclosing said finishing pieces.

JAMES R. CLARK. 

